This year’s tiny tree
I’ve seen attempts at creating traditions. These are often well-meant efforts, often by parents, to do something memorable with their children that will carry on to others in years to come. In my own experience, these efforts often fall flat. It is the simplest things, often not intentional, that seem to take on a life of their own. Continue reading
Pumpkin pie in the making at Grandma’s house
Pie-making was on the agenda for today, as was putting together the cranberry relish. My grand girl Nicole was available and willing, so I grabbed her from the bus and brought her straight over to my kitchen for us to get right to work together. Continue reading
Filed under Blog Posts-Personal Histories
Heading off to the fields at Oak Grove Farm
On perhaps one of our last remaining warm fall days, I set out from Oak Grove Farm in Millis. The walk was part of the “Easy Walks” presentation I’d provided for the Millis Public Library. We’d combined the slide presentation with a walk afterwards in hopes people would be tempted to come learn about the area and join us in the outdoors as well.
The audience was small at the library, and three people joined us at Oak Grove Farm, but two quickly set off by themselves, leaving only one person to walk with me. But another friend I’d invited showed up at the parking area and suddenly the tone of our walk changed substantially. Continue reading
Nancy Haines holds the proof copy of “We Answered with Love” Pacifist Service in World War I, the letters of Leslie Hotsen and Mary Peabody
I met Nancy at a local women’s networking event for a group she helped found but is no longer involved with. She mentioned that she had a book project, a collection of letters written during WWI, correspondence between a man, and the woman who eventually became his wife. The man traveled to France during the war, not as a soldier, but as a conscientious objector, and served with the Quakers in France. With the Quakers, he worked to rebuild housing, even as the war continued to rage elsewhere in France. Continue reading
Filed under Blog Posts-Personal Histories
I wrote this shortly after my friend, Rose White, died. I was unable to attend her memorial service. Her husband Bob read it to those gathered to remember her. There will never be another Rose.
Rose at her goofiest best
In the ten years we spent as near neighbors, Rose always went first, and I was right behind her, cheering her on, ready to come right up behind her. Rose did not have my back, I had hers. She had my front and led the way. And it made all the difference. Continue reading
Filed under Blog Posts-Personal Histories
Somes Sound at sunset
We recently traveled to Acadia National Park in Maine and enjoyed some hiking; we also biked several carriage trails. But there is so much inviting water in this area, both the ocean and fresh water ponds. We were staying at Somes Sound, so we watched daily as the tides went out, came back in, then headed back out again. We had avoided kayaking for the past year or two because of injury, but there was something about being away from home, in a new environment, that pushed us to give it another try. Continue reading
Happy time along the carriage trails at Acadia
Hiking poles? Check. Maps? Check. Water? Check. Ice? Spray bottle with water? Check. Wait, am I going to carry all that for a simple hike or bike ride? Well, when a person is unable to sweat, as I am, yes, indeed, it’s all pretty important. Continue reading
After the fall, snuggling with grandboys and cousin Em
Our visit to the farm in the mountains was truly wonderful until the second day, when, standing too close to the edge of a porch, I was knocked off balance by an over-friendly farm dog. Suddenly I flew through the air, landing flat on my back on the ground after a four-foot fall. My sudden transformation from visiting grandma to instant patient took a lot of the fun out of our trip to visit our grandboys. It did not compromise the love I felt from this family who are so dear to me, but it made the family experience harder to fully take in. Continue reading
Anna and Nicole, ready for Christmas fun
There are lots of things to do around the holidays, but making time for holiday traditions is pretty high on my list of “things to do” and today’s to-do list had on it, “make coconut candy with grandgirl Nicole, and her mom,” my daughter Anna. Continue reading
Filed under Blog Posts-Personal Histories
As our parents age, we often fret about “What do you give someone who has everything?” But there is another side of this equation. What does an increasingly frail elder have to give? Money may be in short supply, energy is diminished; in short, elders often feel increasingly like they have nothing to give. But they can give the gift that no one else can—their stories.
Filed under Blog Posts-Personal Histories
